Training
An Active In-House Training Team
As well as looking after the transport requirements of local people with particular needs, we also offer a range of training opportunities.
Our employees and volunteers are kept fully conversant with current legislation and Best Practice in community transport development -and our own in-house training team offers a comprehensive range of practical support to other organisations.
We offer a comprehensive portfolio of training courses to our Volunteers and Staff including:
Driver Training
MIDAS (the Minibus Driver Awareness
Scheme) is the recognised sector standard for enhancing driving and passenger awareness skills. Our clients include The National Trust, the Warrington Peace Centre and local schools. On completion of their training, drivers are provided with certificates by way of proof of competence.
PATS (Passenger Assistants Training Scheme) PATS is now the sector standard for people caring for or supervising passengers travelling by road. Employers of either permanent staff or volunteers have a duty of care in this respect -and our training programme can ensure your responsibilities are met by well trained, accredited staff.
Training
HCT Offers a 1st floor Training Suite with its own private toilet facilities and access to Tea, Coffee and Water included free in all our training courses.
A £6 per person fee will be payable if participants wish to have a buffet lunch and refreshments as part of their training.
Car parking is available at HCT, however transport to and from HCT and local pickups from Train Stations can also be arranged.
Get in touch with the training team:
Email – enquiries@haltoncommunitytransport.org.uk
Telephone – 0151 257 2415
MiDAS & Accessible MiDAS Initial Or Refresher Courses For Minibus Drivers – Starts At Just £100 Per Candidate
We offer MiDAS training on-site at HCT initial or refresher courses for Minibus drivers, we can comfortably accommodate up to 8 participants in our 1st floor Training Suite.
MiDAS for minibus drivers comes in two forms – Standard and Accessible. Standard refers to a fully seated minibus, such as it can be used by a mainstream school. Accessible would refer to a vehicle that had facilities to enable a wheelchair user to board and alight using a passenger lift or ramp, and specialist equipment to secure both the user and their wheelchair. All drivers do a half-day general, standard theory session, followed by a multiple-choice theory assessment. Drivers of accessible minibuses do an additional half-day theory and practical session, followed by a multiple-choice theory assessment and a practical assessment of their ability to use the accessible features of the vehicle safely.
The final element, again for all minibus drivers, is an on-road assessment of their driving.
For a MiDAS certificate to be issued, all the applicable sessions need to be attended and the assessments passed, although facilities exist to enable re-takes where this is needed. Every attempt is made to try and achieve this during the course. However, it may require some of you making another visit to HCT to undertake your on-the road assessment if there are more than 6 attendees.
If you would like to discuss the possibility of arranging a MiDAS training course for your minibus drivers, please contact Tommy Thackaberry our Fleet Operations Manager and Onsite Trainer.
Courses For Passenger Assistants – Starts At Just £85 Per Candidate
Most organisations have realised that they, as well as their Drivers and Passenger Assistants, share in a duty of care to their Passengers and that to enable Passenger Assistants to work effectively, and exercise that duty of care, they deserve training.
An effective, and well rounded, solution to that training need is PATS (The Passenger Assistant Training Scheme), a sister training programme developed from MiDAS for minibus drivers.
Most PATS members also offer elements of the training to their drivers, which they have found to be very beneficial, with PATS there are many modular training courses available and an organisation would select those which met the training needs of their Passenger Assistants and Drivers. In the latest round of PATS there are five modules.
This includes adult passengers with learning difficulties, dementia, physical disabilities, sensory restrictions and people in mental or emotional distress. Each module is followed by a multiple-choice theory assessment and, in addition, the ‘B’ modules have practical skills assessments.
PATS Modules
Module A: The role of the Passenger Assistant:
This is the foundation module because it is a starting point for further training. It covers the role and responsibilities of a Passenger Assistant, including legal, practical and safety issues.
Module B1: Assisting passengers with disabilities:
This module includes general disability awareness and passenger assistance techniques.
Module B2: Assisting wheelchair users who travel in their wheelchairs:
This module includes boarding and alighting using passenger lifts or ramps and assisting wheelchair users to travel in their wheelchairs.
Module C1: Supervising children and young people with special needs.:
This includes supervising children and young people with learning difficulties, autism, physical disabilities, sensory restrictions and emotional or behavioural difficulties.
Module C2: Working with adults who require care and supervision:
Similar in content to Module C1
If you would like to discuss the possibility of arranging a PAT’s training course for your Passenger Assistants, please contact Tommy Thackaberry our Fleet Operations Manager and Onsite Trainer.
